STEVENS POINT - A warming shelter has one last hurdle to clear before it can open in Stevens Point for the winter.

A group of local stakeholders has worked for the past year to develop a warming shelter in the city to provide the homeless with a place to spend winter nights. The shelter was set to open in November in a temporary location at Franciscans Downtown on Main Street, but organizers learned shortly before opening day the location was not zoned for temporary housing.

Evergreen Community Initiatives requested a conditional use permit from the city to operate the shelter. In a 6-1 vote Monday night, the city's Plan Commission recommended approving the permit request. The final decision is left to the full City Council, which will vote Dec. 21.

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If the council approves the request, the permit will expire March 31 and can be extended for up to 30 days depending on weather. The permit is subject to other conditions, such as occupancy limits, making the exits more accessible in case of a fire and requiring at least one professionally trained staff member to supervise the facility when it's open.

Guests of the shelter will also be subject to rules of conduct, prepared by ECI. The rules prohibit weapons, fighting, swearing and drinking alcohol in the shelter.

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ECI circulated an online petition, signed by more than 1,000 people, prior to the commission's vote to demonstrate community support for the shelter.

Mayor Mike Wiza said he supports the shelter but that the need is already being met by other initiatives in the city. People can stay in existing shelters over night, he said, and the city can put people up in hotels overnight using a charity fund if needed.

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"Nobody has to sleep out in the cold right now," he said. "The need is being met."

Sari Lesk can be reached at 715-345-2257 and sari.lesk@gannettwisconsin.com. Follow her on Twitter as @Sari_Lesk.